Review: Shepherd’s Moon

Fate hasn’t exactly been kind to twenty-year-old Alexandra. Unless you count the fact that she can communicate with animals, the only piece of luck she’s ever had was being rescued by a werewolf and landing in a forever home with an eccentric couple and their unusual pack of animals. It’s taken twelve years to earn the official title of Shepherd but she’s now mostly trained, fairly effective, and the first female in over two centuries to hold the position as protector of animals. All animals…The Territorial Council isn’t thrilled with her new title of Shepherd, but they don’t have any more control over the appointment than they have over her. All they can really do is wait for her to screw something up – which Alex is determined not to do. Everything changes when a chance encounter with a genetically modified Shifter leaves Alex shaken and initiates a quest to locate its maker. In a desperate bid to save her pack, Alex must infiltrate the Parallax Corporation – an international organization with their hands in everything from biomedical engineering to publishing. They have now expanded their efforts to include terrorism and are attempting to breed the perfect weapon. Despite years of training and enough money from her live-in pack of misfits to finance a small country, Alex finds herself woefully unprepared to tackle the new threat. To make matters worse, Alex must work with a mysterious man who’s been trying to kill her since the day they met. Together with her pack, Alex must learn how to stop the biological cloning and find those responsible for the plan before it really does become a global threat.

Vampire Romance Books

Review: Endless Night

Kenn Baker’s Endless Night is not the average vampire book. This is a darkly intense story of lust, greed, violence, and primal urges that refuse be ignored…..and I loved it! Filled with bloody scenes of sex and death, it is a more realistic look into what a world with vampires would be like. You won’t find any love-sick, angst-filled vampires trying to find a way to love a human in this book. In fact, there are very few humans in this book: except for the ones that end up as lunch.  When reading most vampire stories, I tend to root for the good guy. But in Endless Night, the good guy is a bad guy. Even though there was a ton of violence in the book, there is humor, too. I found myself laughing when humans were being torn apart, sometimes envisioning the characters dancing and laughing while slaughtering them (Think “A Clockwork Orange” but with vampires!).

Baker’s writing was extremely descriptive, which made the book that much more intense to read. Each and every character adds an extra level to the story with their unique personalities. I’m happy to know that the author is going to add to the series.  I’d love to see more from all of the characters and find out where their lives are going to go.

If you’re looking for a sweet romance or a happily-ever-after story with rainbows and flowers, this is not the book for you. While there is humor and a little romance, it’s a dark humor that not everyone will like. If you enjoy a little horror with your vampires, then I say this is a must-read. It really was a fantastic read that fans of gothic vampire romances will like. Endless Night is a delightfully dark walk on the wild side that was impossible to put down.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From the author

James is a vampire who wants to hunt, he relishes the kill. He wants to hunt openly, leaving the dead where they fall, but his pack leader Brad insists upon discretion. James is discontent with this domesticated vampire life, and does everything he can to change his life, fix his relationship, end the tyranny of Brad and avoid that pesky sun.

Endless Night is a fang-filled feeding frenzy of fornication and of course….blood.

Vampire Romance Books

Review: Embrace the Highland Warrior

Embrace the Highland Warrior is the second book in Anita Clenney’s series about a clandestine group of Highland warriors tasked with destroying demons and protecting the humans they are trying to destroy.

This book is pure enjoyment. The kilted Connor clan from Awaken the Highland Warrior is back in this second novel, along with the Demons and Vampires who both want a piece of Shay. The writing in this was great!  The plot twists and turns, along with the romance between Shay and Cody, and the all the hot guys in kilts, make this an incredible read. I seriously hope Anita keeps on writing about the Connor clan. I had to read this all in one sitting; I just could not put it down! The action in this is non-stop, along with the sizzling sex between Shay and Cody. I loved that Anita brought so much life to all of her characters in this book, and I can see many more books to come about all of these warriors. From the first page to the last sentence, Anita kept me hooked on Shay’s story, and it was nice to see the return of some old friends from the first book.

5 stars

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From Amazon.com

When the powerful demon that left Shay for dead discovers her empty grave, he comes seeking retribution, believing she possesses an ancient book he has sought for centuries. Knowing she can’t fight the demon alone, Shay returns to her clan and the Scottish Warrior who betrayed her…the only man she’s ever loved, where she discovers that betrayal isn’t always what it seems. Sometimes it’s far worse.

Vampire Romance Books

Review: Dark Temptations: Eden Trilogy

Dark Temptations is the first book of the Eden Trilogy. The story revolves around Eve, a college professor, who is trying to solve her parents’ murder.

I had some difficulty getting into the book in the beginning.  There were quite a few grammatical errors and sentence structure problems that I found distracting.  I didn’t really begin to settle into the book until the third chapter.

Errors aside, there were things about the book that I enjoyed.  The author gives us points of view from all three of the main characters.  I liked having the insight from each one because I felt that it gave them more depth.

After the end of the second chapter, the story started to develop.  I appreciated how the author took the time to go back and fill in the histories of both Dante and Raphael.  There were even a couple of twists in the book that I really wasn’t expecting.

Although the book follows the basic vampire book formula, I liked the premise of the story.  I found the characters likeable as well.  If book two goes in the direction I suspect it is going (I don’t want to give anything away) it should be an interesting follow-up.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From Amazon.com

Evangeline Cass saw the man who murdered her parents, she knows he is a vampire, and she has spent her life trying to find him. A Professor in Literature she spends her time teaching the subject she is most afraid of, the Gothic, using her job as a cover for her desire to learn about vampires. But Eve’s life is more entwined with the dark and unknown world of the supernatural than she realises. When Eve meets Dante, a beautiful and intelligent young man, who sweeps her off her feet, she finds herself learning all about the real world she lives in. The secret that her neighbour and friend Rafael has kept from her for her whole life, and the reason why he holds such deep fear and hatred for Dante are one in the same.

Vampire Romance Books

Review: Winning the Highlander’s Heart

I chose Winning the Highlander’s Heart as a prize in a generous give-away Terry Spear offered on VampireRomanceBooks.com, because it was something new to me; I have read a few of Ms. Spears’ Wolf books, and figured she would do just as well with a sexy Highlander.  I was not disappointed!

The heroine of the story, Lady Anice, is a strong-minded woman, and isn’t afraid to go after what she wants, which is quite unusual during the time of King Henry I (1068-1135).  A Scottish lass, determined to find a Scottish Laird for her husband, stumbles upon Malcom, a Scottish Highlander bent on finding an English bride.  Neither one hides their intentions, making for some great banter between them.  I found myself chuckling out loud several times, enjoying their quick-witted insults.

Malcom MacNeill is the quintessential Highlander: brawny, tanned, strong and hard-headed.  He’s quite noble, and Ms. Spear makes us fall in love with him the first time we meet him.  He assists Lady Anice as she dangles from a bed sheet she’s used as a rope to escape her room and unwanted attentions from the King.  While “saving” her, he strokes her naked thigh, stealing a touch as he lowers her on to his horse.  Steam keeps building from there, for both of them, adding anticipation to the excitement of their adventure of returning to the Lady’s castle.

The story has some nice twists, and I was never bored.  Clever actions, a few good fights, and some steamy encounters are Terry’s M.O., and she doesn’t let us down with her Highlanders.  I highly recommend Ms. Spear’s Highlander series—hot men in kilts and swords!

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From www.Terryspear.com

Determined to avoid King Henry I’s randy advances, Lady Anice of Brecken attempts escape, wishing to find a Highlander to escort her home to her castle in Glen Affric where she will rule until she can find a laird worthy of her hand.  Laird Malcolm MacNeill desires an English bride to improve his standing with those in power. But rescuing the Scottish lass from an escape attempt casts him into deadly political intrigue when the king sends Malcolm and his brothers to escort the lady home and investigate the disappearance of some of her staff. Now he must protect the king’s ward without losing his heart to the willful lass, or he could very well earn His Majesty’s wrath…and lose far more. 

Vampire Romance Books

Review: Blood Magic: Draven Witch Series

Blood Magic, the first in the Draven Witch Series, is one of those books that has it all: vampires, demons, shifters, witches—you name it, it’s got it. Filled with an incredible cast of characters, all well written and highly developed, this book keeps you locked in until the very end. Written by a two-person writing team, Zoey Sweete, the book flows easily and there is never a point where it seems two people wrote the book.

While I loved every single character, there was so much going on in this book that many of the scenes were unfortunately very quick, whether it was the sex scenes or fights. I would’ve liked to see more anticipation of coming events and more time after the climax (no pun intended) before racing to the next scene. Despite the lack of anticipation the story was still quite exhilarating.

You’re taken on a wild ride through different dimensions alongside one kick-ass heroine, Renee Draven, as she faces one challenge after another. When she’s not fighting for her life against the evil Damaskeos, she’s fighting her band of supernatural alpha hotties for her heart. I can’t wait to find out what’s next for Renee!

Blood Magic is a 5 star must-read and will undoubtedly become a favorite among paranormal/urban fantasy lovers. Fans of Laurell K. Hamilton, Keri Arthur, and Sunny should make this the next book to read. With the amount of fabulous characters and enormous challenges Renee Draven is going to face, this series has the potential to be epic!

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From Amazon

Half vampire and half witch, whose powers stem from an age old bloodline, Renee Draven is hell bent on destroying the evil that has terrorized her lineage and take back the power that was stolen long ago. As foretold by prophecy, Renee prepares to battle Damaskeos, the evil one that has stolen the lives of her ancestors for centuries and taken their power for his own. She must learn to use her power to protect herself while being haunted by visions of the past. Racing against time Renee must find Dante Angelo, the one who is to awaken her vampire side and give her the strength to defeat Damaskeos. As she embarks on her dark journey into a world of demons, vampires, werewolves, and those who hunt them, Renee stumbles across William Angelo, the lost soul she was said to bring home and save. Struggling to stay alive, she is torn between her duties and wanting a normal life. Renee must search for the power within herself to save the lives of those she loves and trust the magic that flows through her blood. Blood Magic takes you on a mystical ride into alternate dimensions and the world of the Draven witches with the supernatural creatures that have sworn to protect them and die for them.

Vampire Romance Books

Review: Swoon

Having been gifted vocally since childhood, Holly Greene’s sole dream in life is to make it big in the music scene as a professional singer. She resides with her successful brother, Holden…a well known author and professor of English at NYU, who is less than enthusastic towards Holly’s musical endeavours. In his attempts to suade her in an alternative direction, Holly herself comes to question whether her aspirations are admirable – or simply futile.Yet her life is altered swiftly when Holly is nearly struck and killed by a speeding golden vespa belonging to none other than a fledgling vampire by the name of Aleister Judas – or AJ, for short. Having been allusively watching her sing for some time, AJ proposes that Holly join his newly-formed band as their lead singer. Hesitant at first, she reluctantly agrees and becomes the songstress of Silver Sun. Little does she know, however, just how far their music will take them. While their sound merits the attention of top record labels that are willing to thrust the unearthly group into the lime-light, it also manages to seduce a fleet of vampires who are hell bent on exposing, and destroying them.

Vampire Romance Books

Arrest Without Judicial Review; Detention Without Hearing; Prosecuting Without Trial:

On Dec. 31, 2011 Obama signed an edict into law granting him sole authority to detain Americans indefinitely without trial. This makes the book ‘Romans 13: The True Meaning of Submission’ by Tim Baldwin a Must Read for all Americans this New Year
PRLog World Top 5

Pocket Review: Calling Mr. King by Ronald De Feo

Calling Mr. King
Ronald De Feo
Other Press, 2011

They say music hath charms to soothe the savage breast, and culture’s civilizing qualities have been the root of many a liberal arts education. In his debut novel, Calling Mr. King, Ronald De Feo takes this notion and runs with it: Can art transport us? Does it have redemptive powers? Can beauty truly liberate us from the trenches of the 9-5 world?

From Bartleby to Then We Came to the End, novels of day-job burnout have been rich ground for schadenfreude or commiseration, depending on which side of the cubicle the reader is on. For De Feo’s nearly-nameless protagonist it’s a deadly serious business. By trade a hit man, and an extremely good one at that, he finds himself in the throes of mid-career fatigue. And like any other company man who’s devoted a lifetime to honing his skills and has made himself a comfortable niche, it’s the daily grind, not the morality, that trips him up:

Odd thoughts were entering my head again. And like before I had no idea where they were coming from. Odd, crazy thoughts: another job just about done, after running stupidly about for weeks, all the tracking, waiting, time spent and wasted, and what do you get but another dead body, then on to the next hit, another city, another bastard to track, another doomed man, to be taken out by me or someone else, it really made no difference, dead is dead. The same story, the same routine. You pull the trigger, the man falls. But what if you didn’t pull the trigger? That would be different. That might even be exciting. That would change everything.

Such thoughts, however, are anathema to his line of work—anyone’s line of work, now that you mention it, although most of us would be more worried about getting laid off for them than bumped off. Still, work is work, and our antihero is ramping up to one serious job-related existential crisis.

Nameless, featureless, he has no particular identity other than his employment. We get glimpses, as the book progresses, of how he came to this calling—poverty, an uninspiring, bullied childhood with lots of guns around—but mostly he’s a blank slate. It’s his greatest asset on the job, along with his intense detachment from just about everything. He is eloquent, a little high-minded; he speaks of completing a hit on a mark as a way to “end his vacation abruptly.” But mostly he’s just your basic, affect-neutral contract assassin.

Until, of course, that stops working for him. First it’s those odd thoughts, then a near-botched job out in the English countryside. A vacation, he thinks, might be in order, though his company has not been historically warm to vacations. But the collateral damage he incurs in Derbyshire prompts the suggestion that he lie low for a while—which, in his business, is as close to a vacation as he’s going to get. They put him up in a swanky New York hotel, and he finds himself, for once, with time, rather than someone, to kill.

I surveyed the restaurant crowd—a majority of chit-chatting lady shoppers, a few men with their wives, a few tourists. Just another Saturday afternoon out. Hard to believe, I thought, but I was out for the day too. At least for now, I resembled them. This was what it was like to spend a normal, ordinary, slightly boring day. I sort of liked the feeling. I sort of liked the boredom. I sort of liked everyone remaining alive.

In addition, as a somewhat random byproduct of stalking people on the English heath, he’s developed an interest in Georgian manor houses. At first they feature in restful fantasies of where he, a chronic hotel dweller, would like to live; gradually he becomes fascinated with their architectural detail and history. He buys a reference book—quite possibly the first book he’s ever purchased—and then another, and another. Soon he’s on a familiar basis with the clerks at Rizzoli, spending time in the New York Public Library’s Main Reading Room, “a huge old banquet hall for book lovers,” and examining Constable paintings at the Frick. His slow evolution as a patron of the arts is fun to follow, especially as it doesn’t trumps his basic crudeness; his first thought, on reading of Paris’ Place des Vosges, is that he recently killed someone near there. But he’s learning the language as he goes—of architecture, of art, of how to be a feeling man in an unfeeling world. All this from a fellow whose idea of personal growth, thus far, had been to become a better shot:

I liked these a lot. None of the heavenly crap that filled the wop paintings. The Dutch were definitely more down-to-earth. Trees, dirt roads, streams, cottages, water mills, windmills, a horse and cow here and there. They were peaceful pictures, showing country areas you wouldn’t mind living in. Of course, I preferred a somewhat more elegant country life, and the trees were too big and the shrubbery too wildfire my taste, but if you were Dutch and weren’t loaded with cash, this kind of existence wasn’t half bad.

Fortunately for us, though, he never loses his native petulance. Wandering around New York with his art books under his arm, he brings to mind an overgrown Holden Caulfield gone very, very bad, which is a good thing. For all its intermittent bloodshed, this is not an action-packed novel, and it couldn’t survive its protagonist’s transformation into an exemplary man of culture. We need his rough edges to keep things unpredictable, and fortunately De Feo never falls back onto easy epiphanies for him. Our man may be ready to get out of the business, but it’s not due to any particular dawning ethical consciousness. He just wants to look at more architecture.

Eventually his employers call him back to work, however, with a hit in Barcelona, and he’s forced to choose—not so much between his baser and better selves, but between work and Gaudí. It’s a reasonable dilemma. And after dawdling through the streets of the world’s capitals and puzzling out what, exactly, the aesthetic world has to offer, De Feo gives us a satisfyingly architectural ending. This is a strange, dark, funny book—in that order, I think—and his begrudgingly solipsistic narrator is one of the odder antiheroes I’ve come across. But Calling Mr. King is an interesting little meditation on the redemptive powers, or not, of art, and for those of us who spend our time reading novels in the first place, it’s not a bad thing to consider.

Like Fire

Comment on Download for Free by The Book Pirate » Blog Archive » Audio Book Review: Little Brother by Cory Doctorow

[...] You can download most (all?) of Cory Doctorow’s books for free from his website because most (all?) of them are licensed under a Creative Commons [...]

Comments for Little Brother